Positive start to wildlife trade meeting

At the opening of the CITES meeting, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced that Thailand will take steps to close the country’s ivory market. This followed the mobilization of 1.6 million signatures by WWF and Avaaz, supported by the actor Leonardo DiCaprio. By halting the trade, Thailand can stop a key illegal trade route, where illegal ivory is ‘legitimized’ on the way to customers wanting the ivory. WWF is now calling for a timetable to end the trade.